Decorative snow guard and attachment device

ABSTRACT

A one piece snow brake which attaches to the vertical leg of a formed metal roof seam utilizing the formed seam and a movable wall portion to attach the snow brake without the use of penetrations or seam deformations. The snow brake is attached to a vertical seam by the use of threaded screws creating pressure on a movable wall portion or portions that form a side of a slot for enclosing the vertical seam. Roof accessories other than a snow brake can be connected to a raised seam using the disclosed movable wall attachment device. The location of the screws is such that they force the movable wall portion(s) to engage the seam.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to decorative snow brakes and to apparatusfor securely mounting a snow brake or other roof accessories on a raisedseam metal roof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snow brakes are used for preventing large sheets of ice or snow fromsliding and falling from roofs, harming persons standing nearby orstriking objects below such as shrubbery, cars or property located aboutthe roof drip.

Typically, snow and ice accumulated on a roof melts or its weight causesit to fall. The snow may melt from above by warmth from the sun, or frombelow by warmth from the roof. Water flows through the snow and runsalong the roof and drips off edges of the roof. Such water frequentlycauses loss of adhesion between the remaining snow and ice and the roof.

Particularly on standing seam metal roofs, or any metal roof with raisedseams, the water makes the roof surface slick, causing heavy sheets ofsnow or ice to slide along the roof. Snow brakes are used so that thesnow bank or ice sheets formed on the roof are retained until they meltor slide off the roof in small pieces. Snow brakes have been designedfor attaching to the flat surface of the roof, and some snow brakes havebeen designed for attaching to the roof seams. Many of the snow brakesdesigns found in the prior art are fashioned to affix to such seams byattachment means which either puncture or deform the roofing materialsubstantially in the operation of the device. Other snow brake devicesfound in the prior art are of designs which require multiple parts tofunction.

Multi-part snow brakes are expensive. Snow brakes which attach to theflat surface of the roof make holes through the roof and promote waterentry and destruction of the roof and its supporting surface. Snowguards which use adhesives to mount to the roof can work loose fromexposure to the elements, discolor the roofing materials and are notgenerally preferred. Snow brakes which attach to the seams of roofs canpenetrate the seams or tend to deform the seams unnecessarily forlocking the snow brakes on the roof. Examples of such snow brakes can befound in prior art which provides for recesses or detents in theconstruction of the snow brake, which are designed to accept thedeformed seam.

A need exists for snow brakes which may be easily and inexpensivelyconstructed, and which provide adequate support for snow and adequatelocking to formed seams without utilizing substantial deformation of theseams as the primary anchoring point for retention of the snow brake.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,340 issued Feb. 1, 1994 to Cline et al. illustratesthe problem with the prior art. Cline et al. suggest the use of a setscrew which attaches the snow brake to a roof seam and holds it in placeby deforming the opposite of the vertical portion of the roofs seam andpressing the displaced seam into a depression or dimple in the snowbrake base on the opposite side of the set screw. Other patents, such asU.S. Pat. No. 5,732,513 issued to Williams on Mar. 31, 1998, continue toshow deformation of a roof seam by set screws as a primary affixingmeans of a snow brake. In the Williams '513 patent, the deformation ofthe seam is necessary by the application of set screw pressure on bothsides of a seam thereby creating opposing depressions or displacementsof the roof seam sufficient to effectively hold the roof brake to a seamby causing a counter displacement immediately adjacent to a firstdisplacement of the seam by one set screw. In effect, the Williams '513patent creates opposing recesses of a roof seam by displacing the seamin the opposite direction immediately adjacent to a first displacementby a first set screw.

Such issued patents, as well as prior art patents which teach attachmentmeans for snow brakes on existing fabricated metal roof seams do notteach the firm attachment of snow brakes by primarily utilizing thegeometry of the existing standing seam as more fully described in thepresent disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a light weight, easily attachable, andone piece snow brake for attachment to standing seams commonly used infabricated metal roofs. The present invention provides an improvedattachment means, transversely oriented to the roof seams used at theattachment point of metal roofs which are comprised of generallyrectangular pieces. The described snow brake attaches through itsmounting base by interlocking with the existing seam to hook the snowbrake onto a standing seam by utilizing set screws and a movable wallportion of the base. The present invention relies on set screws affixedthrough the base of the snow brake to move the movable wall portion intosecure engagement with the standing seam. The disclosed snow brake canbe used by hooking under the roll portion of the standing seam as morefully described in the following disclosure. The disclosed snow brakeprovides an improvement to the state of the art by not requiringopposing indentations, recesses or openings within the internal area ofthe snow brake which would receive any seam engaging fastener such a setscrew.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a snowbrake which has a simplified method of attachment of the brake to a seamin a metal roof which utilizes a folded seam for attachment.

It is further the object of the invention to provide a snow brake inwhich the attachment does not rely on a depression or a recess in thesnow guard base which is used to compliment the depression formed by thesnow guard attachment means in the seam being displaced by theattachment means.

It is still a further an object of the present invention to provide aroof snow brake which is symmetrical in design such as to allow thebrake to be useable and functional when rotated 180 degrees on itslongitudinal axis. In furtherance of such object, the disclosed snowbrake provides a 90 degree angle from the base of the snow brake to thesnow plate of the snow brake thereby allowing the rotation of the snowbrake to match a given roof seam alignment whether the seam is locatedto the left or right of the seam.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an attachmentdevice for attaching accessories to the raised seams of a roof.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the inventionare set forth below in the disclosure and claims. The invention itself,both as to its construction and its method of operation, together withadditional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood fromthe description of specific embodiment which follows when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers referto like parts. These, and many other objects will become readilyapparent to those skilled in the art of making snow brakes, upon readingthe following detailed descriptions which disclose specific embodimentsof the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present inventionillustrating the entire snow brake.

FIG. 2 is a ghosted end view of the snow brake base seated over astanding seam of a typical metal roof.

FIG. 3 is a ghosted end view of the snow brake base seated over astanding seam of a typical metal roof showing the disclosed snow brakereversed 180 degrees from the position illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial view of the embodiment of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating an entire snow brake.

FIG. 7 is an end view of another embodiment of the present inventionillustrating an attachment device for mounting a roof accessory to araised seam roof.

FIG. 8 is a partial end view of another embodiment of the presentinvention illustrating an attachment device for a snow brake or a roofaccessory to a raised seam roof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the various Figures wherein like numbersrepresent like parts. Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the snowbrake is generally indicated by the numeral 2. The present invention hasseveral parts which include the snow plate 4, the snow brake base 6,screw receiving holes 8, base set screws 10 which operate and areinserted through screw receiving holes 8, and the U shaped seam receiver12 which includes a top and bottom. The top of seam receiver 12 is thereceiver head 16. Snow brake 2 operates in a conventional fashion inthat it prevents the movement of snow and ice upon a roof by contactinga sliding snow or ice mass, thereby interfering with downward movementof the mass. Snow plate 4 normally contacts snow or ice sliding downwardoff a sloping roof. Snow or ice contacts snow plate 4 in a generallynormal direction thereby transmitting such force through plate 4 to base6, which is an integral part of the one piece design illustrated inFIG. 1. Such force is thereby transmitted through the base 6 to setscrews 10 more fully illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Set screw 10 isinserted in screw receiving hole 8 as shown generally in FIG. 1. Wheninserted sufficiently deep through hole 8, it will be appreciated thatscrew 10 will contact the outside surface of movable wall portion 18which is situated within the U shaped seam receiver 12. Therefore, anyforce being applied to snow plate 4 is translated into base 6 and theresulting force is transmitted to the movable wall portion 18 of theseam receiver 12. In normal operation, snow brake 2 is situated on avertically extending roof seam by locking wall portion 22 and frictionon the inner surface of the movable wall portion 18, thereby preventingmovement of snow brake 2 along the seam when the brake is firmlyattached as will be more fully described below.

One advantage of the snow brake of the present invention is that it is areversible design. Whether rolled on the left side or right side of agiven standing seam, as described below, the snow brake of the presentinvention can be fixed to the seam.

Metal roofs are formed from an array of separate roof panels whichinterconnect along their lateral edges by what are generally referred toas standing seams. Whether formed on the site by automatic machinery orforming brakes, the standing seams are one of the most commonly foundattachment means for connecting adjacent roofing panels. Roof seams areformed by rolling the edges in a fashion which provides for a watertightand secure joint. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a roof panel standing seam 30as shown in the figures. Roofing material 20 is attached together usingwell known procedures to create such a joint. One aspect of the presentinvention takes advantage of the asymmetrical shape of the seam 30 shownin FIGS. 2 and 3 by utilizing the roll joint head 34 to lock snow brakebase 6 into position, utilizing the shape of the fixed wall portion ofbase 6 and set screw(s) 10 to force movable wall portion 18 toward theseam 30. Using the very same snow brake 2, the snow brake can operate intwo different ways depending on whether it is placed with the movablewall portion 18 on one side or the other of the asymmetrical roll jointhead 34.

Turning to FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that set screw 10 protrudesunder the roll joint head 34 when inserted through snow brake base 6through screw receiving hole 8. In the configuration of the snow brakeas shown in FIG. 2, it is not necessary that set screw 10 deformstanding seam 30 when the set screw causes the movable wall 18 to engagethe vertical portion of the roof standing seam. It is not necessary thatbrake base 6 contain a deformation, dimple, or any type of recess toreceive a deformed portion of the roof seam. Snow brake 2 remains inplace on the roof seam because of the interference that the standingseam roll joint 34 provides to any movement of brake base 6 once the setscrew causes the movable wall 18 to be engaged.

Since snow brake 2 of FIG. 1 is of a symmetrical design, allowing theguard to be installed in either direction without regard to a preferredside of the snow plate 4, it can be seen that installation of snow guard2 might be such as to cause the orientation of the brake base 6 to bereversed, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In such a case, the snow brake stillfunctions normally in that the set screw causes the movable wall 18 tofrictionally engage the side of standing seam 30 as shown in theillustration. Upward travel of base 6 is limited because of theinterference of the roll joint 34 creates on fixed wall portion of base6. In this embodiment, it is not necessary that there be a depression,receiving dimple or other recess in the brake base 6 to receive anydeformation of the standing seam since such deformation of the seam isnot necessary for base 6 to be securely engaged to the seam.

FIGS. 2 and 3 also depict an attachment device for attaching roofaccessories other than a decorative snow brake to a raised seam. Thus,the base 6 in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be provided with means to connect (e.g.threaded holes, etc.) to other roof accessories (not shown) such as barsfor blocking snow/ice from sliding down the roof.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate embodiments of the present invention. The snowbrake 2 of FIG. 4 is made of aluminum metal and the U-shaped seamreceiver 12 is defined by a base 6 with a movable wall portion 18 and afixed wall portion 22. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, theholes 8 are drilled and tapped for 5/16″ diameter stainless steel setscrews. As seen in FIG. 5, the following exemplary dimensions are used,although these are not to be construed as a limitation on the presentinvention: Distance Dimension A .45″ B .20″ C .20″ D .325″ E .662″ F.10″ G .075″ H .060″

It should be understood that the embodiment of FIG. 5 can be used as thelower portion of a device to attach roof accessories other than a snowbrake to a raised seam. Although not illustrated in the drawings, onemodification of FIG. 3 would be to provide a boss on the inner surfaceof movable wall portion 18 and an associated depression on the innersurface of the opposing wall of base 6. The set screw 8 could then forcethe boss against the roof seam causing it to dimple into the depression.The lower end of wall portion 18 may be shaped in various ways tointeract with the exterior surface of the roof seam. Thus, the innersurface of wall portion 18 of FIG. 5 may be shaped on a bias in a planarfashion to have more or less face-to-face engagement with the outersurface of the roof seam when the set screws are tightened against wall18 and it bends forward the roof seam's surface.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a snow brake which is a modified form ofthe snow brake of FIG. 1. Like parts of FIGS. 1 and 6 are designatedwith the same number but the numbers of FIG. 6 also have a primedesignation (e.g., 2′). The embodiment of FIG. 6 is not designed to bereversible as is the embodiment of FIG. 1. Thus, the rear side of thesnow brake 2′ of FIG. 6 can be substantially planar. Further the base 6′is not as long as the base 6 of FIG. 1 and ends at the lower portion ofthe planar rear surface. Otherwise, the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 6 aresimilar.

FIG. 7 shows the end view of an attachment device for mounting a roofaccessory to a raised seam roof. Like parts of FIGS. 7 and 5 aredesignated with the same number but the numbers of FIG. 7 also have adouble prime (″) designation (e.g., 6″). The upper portion of base 6″ isprovided with holes which, for example, may be threaded to securemounting bolts for roof accessories. Exemplary dimensions for theembodiment of FIG. 7 may be found in connection with the description ofFIGS. 4 and 5 above.

FIG. 8 shows the end view of a further embodiment of a base for a snowbrake as shown, for example, in FIG. 4 or an attachment device formounting a roof accessory as shown, for example, in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 showsa design where the portion of the device on the right side of thecenterline is repeated as a mirror image on the left side of thecenterline. The dimensions A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H may be, forexample, the same as those described above for FIG. 5. The embodiment ofFIG. 8 includes several parts similar to FIG. 5 and they are designatedas a series of numbers with the prefix 3. Thus, for example, item 6 inFIG. 5 is designated as 36 in FIG. 8. Further, the embodiment of FIG. 8includes a base portion 37, a screw receiving hole 39, and a movablewall portion 319. Wall portion 322 is sufficiently rigid so that setscrews tightened against movable wall portion 319 will cause the latterto move inwardly toward the centerline relative to portion 322.

It can be appreciated from the foregoing description and variousembodiments provided that numerous changes or modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention asdefined by the following claims. Although certain preferred embodimentsare presented for the purpose of describing the present inventioneither, other species or derivations from the specific embodiment of theinvention are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

1. A snow brake comprising (a) a base with a bottom and a top, the basehaving a longitudinally extending body with first and secondlongitudinal ends, a slot extending upward from the bottom toward thetop and terminating spaced from the top and extending through the firstand second ends for receiving a rolled seam of a metal roof in the slot,the slot dividing the base into first and second opposite sidesconnected at the top, said first side having (1) holes extendingtransversely through at least part of the side for receiving and holdinganchor screws, and (2) a movable wall portion shaped to interlock with arolled roof seam, (b) a snow brake plate connected to the base andextending laterally beyond the opposite sides of the base and extendingupward to beyond the top of the base, said second opposite side beingshaped to interlock with a rolled roof seam to prevent removal of saidsnow brake from said seam when said anchor screws force said movablewall portion inwardly toward said second side and said seam of the roof.2. A snow brake for attachment to a rolled style of roof seam whereinsaid seam has a rolled portion forming an asymmetrical head, comprising:(a) an inverted, rectangular, U-shaped base having a central slot forreceiving a rolled seam of a metal roof, first and second sidesextending along the central slot and a top interconnecting the sides,the first side defining openings for receiving fasteners and a movablewall portion movable toward said second side, (b) a snow plate extendingupward from the base, the snow plate having a surface portion extendinglaterally beyond the sides of the base, said fastener-receiving openingsbeing located to align the fasteners in said openings with one side ofsaid movable wall portion to force said wall portion toward the portionof said seam located below the rolled portion of said seam.
 3. A snowbrake comprising (a) a base with a bottom and a top, the base having alongitudinally extending body with first and second longitudinal ends, aslot extending upward from the bottom toward the top and terminatingspaced from the top and extending through the first and second ends forreceiving a rolled seam of a metal roof in the slot, the slot dividingthe base into first and second opposite sides connected at the top, saidfirst side having holes extending transversely through a portion of theside for receiving and holding anchor screws and a movable wall portionshaped to protrude below the lowest portion of said rolled seam, and,(b) a snow brake plate connected to the base and extending laterallybeyond the opposite sides of the base and extending upward to beyond thetop of the base, and said second opposite side of said base being shapedto protrude below the lowest portion of a rolled roof seam.
 4. Anattachment device for mounting a roof accessory to a raised seam roofcomprising (a) a base with a bottom and a top, the base having alongitudinally extending body with first and second longitudinal ends, aslot extending upward from the bottom toward the top and terminatingspaced from the top and extending through the first and second ends forreceiving a raised seam of a metal roof in the slot, the slot dividingthe base into first and second opposite sides connected at the top, saidfirst side having (1) holes extending transversely through at least partof the side for receiving and holding anchor screws, and (2) a movablewall portion shaped to interlock with a raised roof seam, (b) meansconnected to said base for connection to said accessory, said secondopposite side being shaped to interlock with a raised roof seam toprevent removal of said base from said seam when said anchor screwsforce said movable wall portion inwardly toward said second side andsaid seam of the roof.
 5. An attachment device for mounting a roofaccessory to a rolled style of roof seam wherein said seam has a rolledportion forming an asymmetrical head, comprising: (a) an inverted,rectangular, U-shaped base having a central slot for receiving a rolledseam of a metal roof, first and second sides extending along the centralslot and a top interconnecting the sides, the first side definingopenings for receiving fasteners and a movable wall portion movabletoward said second side, (b) means connected to said base for connectionto said accessory, said fastener-receiving openings being located toalign the fasteners in said openings with one side of said movable wallportion to force said wall portion toward the portion of said seamlocated below the rolled portion of said seam.
 6. An attachment devicefor mounting a roof accessory to a raised seam roof comprising (a) abase with a bottom and a top, the base having a longitudinally extendingbody with first and second longitudinal ends, a slot extending upwardfrom the bottom toward the top and terminating spaced from the top andextending through the first and second ends for receiving a rolled seamof a metal roof in the slot, the slot dividing the base into first andsecond opposite sides connected at the top, said first side having holesextending transversely through a portion of the side for receiving andholding anchor screws and a movable wall portion shaped to protrudebelow the lowest portion of said rolled seam, and (b) means connected tosaid base for connection to said accessory, and said second oppositesides of said base being shaped to protrude below the lowest portion ofsaid rolled roof seam.
 7. A snow brake comprising (a) a base with abottom and a top, the base having a longitudinally extending body withfirst and second longitudinal ends, a slot extending upward from thebottom toward the top and terminating spaced from the top and extendingthrough the first and second ends for receiving a rolled seam of a metalroof in the slot, the slot dividing the base into first and secondopposite sides connected at the top, said first and second side eachhaving (1) holes extending transversely through at least part of theside for receiving and holding anchor screws, and (2) a movable wallportion shaped to interlock with a rolled roof seam, (b) a snow brakeplate connected to the base and extending laterally beyond the oppositesides of the base and extending upward to beyond the top of the base,said opposite sides being shaped to interlock with a rolled roof seam toprevent removal of said snow brake from said seam when said anchorscrews force said movable wall portions inwardly toward said seam of theroof.
 8. An attachment device for mounting a roof accessory to a raisedseam roof comprising (a) a base with a bottom and a top, the base havinga longitudinally extending body with first and second longitudinal ends,a slot extending upward from the bottom toward the top and terminatingspaced from the top and extending through the first and second ends forreceiving a rolled seam of a metal roof in the slot, the slot dividingthe base into first and second opposite sides connected at the top, saidfirst and second side each having holes extending transversely through aportion of the side for receiving and holding anchor screws and amovable wall portion shaped to protrude below the lowest portion of saidrolled seam, and (b) means connected to said base for connection to saidaccessory, and said movable wall portions of said base being shaped toprotrude below the lowest portion of said rolled roof seam.